Sean Haley, Education doctoral candidate
Read about the Experiences of Other PFF Students
In short, I've found the
PFF program beneficial in that I have been
afforded a couple of opportunities to get
some sound teaching experience under my
belt--beyond the teaching assistant level
of interaction. Through the structure of
the PFF program I found myself engaged in
powerful co-teaching experiences at Huston-Tillotson
College. One semester I co-taught a "Contemporary
Social Problems" class while during
another semester I had the opportunity to
co-teach an "Educational Psychology"
class. While both interactions provided
me with valuable experiences, the latter
experience was most powerful for a couple
of reasons: 1) Educational Psychology is
my doctoral degree area and the mentor/professor
with whom I worked offered me many opportunities
to contribute to the development and facilitation
of this class; 2) the class was taught via
a distance learning platform--which afforded
me the wonderful opportunity to develop
a skill that is both practical and on the
cutting edge in terms of instructional delivery
systems that are being implemented globally.
Through this platform I was able to experience
teaching students locally as well as statewide.
Ultimately, the experiences I had through
this program aided me in developing essential
instructional skill-sets. Also, I gained
a clearer sense of myself in the role of
"professor."
To a large degree I find the PFF program experience to be promising in that it allows students the chance to investigate personal strengths and weaknesses in a "safe" environment. In turn, students are afforded the opportunity to further hone skills that will be needed upon exit from the safe haven of graduate school and entrance into the world of the academic. Moreover, the experience can boost your confidence and even jump start your career. For those who are seeking an additional edge or who are seeking deeper insight into a world or subculture that, frankly, can sometimes be cold, competitive, and uninviting, PFF experiences can offer some breakthrough opportunities. In view of this fact, I particularly urge ethnic minorities and women to take advantage of the myriad opportunities provided through the Intellectual Entrepreneurship Program, including the PFF program.